Midnight in a Perfect World explained

Midnight in a Perfect World
Cover:DJ Shadow - Midnight in a Perfect World cover art.jpg
Type:single
Artist:DJ Shadow
Album:Endtroducing.....
Released:September 2, 1996
Recorded:1996
Studio:The Glue Factory (San Francisco)
Genre:
Length:
  • 4:57 (LP version)
  • 5:02 (radio version)
Label:
Producer:DJ Shadow
Prev Title:Hardcore (Instrumental) Hip Hop
Prev Title2:Fully Charged on Planet X
Prev Year:1996
Next Title:Stem
Next Year:1996

"Midnight in a Perfect World" is a song by American DJ and music producer DJ Shadow. It was released as the lead single from his debut studio album, Endtroducing....., on September 2, 1996. The song peaked at number 52 on the Scottish Singles Chart and number 54 on the UK Singles Chart.

Composition

Featuring a soulful vocal line and a slow drum beat,[2] [3] "Midnight in a Perfect World" is based around mournful piano sampled from the 1969 song "The Human Abstract" by David Axelrod.[4] Aside from the Axelrod sample, the track also samples "Sower of Seeds" by Baraka,[5] "Sekoilu Seestyy" by Pekka Pohjola, "Releasing Hypnotical Gases" by Organized Konfusion,[6] "Dolmen Music" by Meredith Monk, and "California Soul" by Marlena Shaw.[7]

Release

"Midnight in a Perfect World" was released as both a 12-inch single and CD single on September 2, 1996 in England,[8] and later in America too.[9] In January 1997, the song was released to American college and modern rock radio stations.[10]

Both releases have different artwork, with the American release featuring a photo of John Hillyard, who owned a record store where DJ Shadow found many of the records he sampled on his album.[11] The photograph was taken by B Plus, who also directed a music video for the song that was also released and gained much airplay on the MTV program Amp.[12]

Track listing

UK release

US release

Release history

RegionDateLabelFormatCatalogue no.
September 2, 1996Mo' WaxMW057
January 1997162-531 084

Notes and References

  1. https://www.treblezine.com/30913-10-essential-plunderphonics-tracks/ 10 Essential Plunderphonics Tracks|Treble
  2. Web site: DJ Shadow: Endtroducing... . . June 10, 2005 . June 8, 2016 . O'Neil, Tim . https://web.archive.org/web/20130201031752/http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/djshadow-endtroducingdeluxe/ . February 1, 2013 . live .
  3. Web site: The Top 200 Tracks of the 1990s: 20–01 . . September 3, 2010 . June 8, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130424110325/http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/7853-the-top-200-tracks-of-the-1990s-20-01/ . April 24, 2013 . live .
  4. News: Dungen . October 9, 2006 . June 8, 2016 . Patrin . Nate . . https://web.archive.org/web/20131202230645/http://www.seattleweekly.com/2005-09-28/music/dungen/ . December 2, 2013 . live .
  5. DJ Shadow . 1996 . Endtroducing..... . liner notes . deluxe . . 0602498286821.
  6. Web site: Midnight In A Perfect Sample . WYMS . May 1, 2013 . June 8, 2016 . Lee, Jordan . https://web.archive.org/web/20160807103009/http://www.radiomilwaukee.org/7-oclock-sample/midnight-perfect-sample . August 7, 2016 . dead .
  7. Web site: DJ Shadow: Endtroducing... . . July 14, 2011 . June 8, 2016 . Diver, Mike . https://web.archive.org/web/20130113042236/http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/qw4z . January 13, 2013 . live .
  8. Web site: Midnight in a Perfect World – DJ Shadow . AllMusic . June 8, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150325050156/http://www.allmusic.com/album/midnight-in-a-perfect-world-mw0000416008 . March 25, 2015 . live .
  9. Web site: DJ Shadow – Midnight In A Perfect World (Master) . 1996 . . June 8, 2016.
  10. Out Of The Shadows . November 23, 1996 . June 8, 2016 . . New York . 21.
  11. Web site: Gaunt . James . 2023-12-29 . Remembering John Hillyard . 2023-12-29 . DJ Shadow Reconstructed . en.
  12. Endtroducing… . April 4, 1997 . June 8, 2016 . . San Francisco . https://web.archive.org/web/20140413192626/http://solesides.com/winblad/shadowbam040497.html . April 13, 2014 . dead .
  13. Web site: DJ Shadow – Midnight In A Perfect World (Vinyl) (UK) . 2 September 1996 . . June 8, 2016.
  14. Web site: DJ Shadow – Midnight In A Perfect World (CD) (UK) . 2 September 1996 . . June 8, 2016.
  15. Web site: DJ Shadow – Midnight In A Perfect World (Vinyl) (U.S.) . 1997 . . June 8, 2016.
  16. Web site: DJ Shadow – Midnight In A Perfect World (CD) (U.S.) . 1998 . . June 8, 2016.

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